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December 2, 2010

A New Era Begins…

Joan Marie Aquilino

The election is over, the newly elected Board of County Commissioners was sworn into office yesterday and things move on. You’d think it would be that simple, it was simple last time and the times prior; but this outgoing board just seems to feel the county can’t continue without them.

What a shame and how wrong they are. It’s over; the voters made their choice and you weren’t one of them. Like it or not, those are the facts, for you and everyone else.

Instead of just breaking their arm patting themselves on the back and singing their own praises, they have to get in those last minute digs. What a shame! I thought better of almost all of them, the 2006 Board of County Commissioners as a whole just didn’t understand the meaning of the word, ‘gracious.’

Even those who chose not to run again appear to have had buyers’ remorse and can’t leave on the merits of what they feel were their accomplishments. Instead they went into over drive trashing candidates, now elected commissioners. What was the purpose and what did it accomplish, except looking like sour grapes. The appearance is that it’s more important to stay in control, no matter the avenue, than to just thank the citizens and move on gracefully.

I want to scream, ‘get over yourself’ but what is the use? Not going to happen because true and unabashed liberals that are liberal for the sake of being liberal just won’t hear anything other than their own voices. They know it all and usually wrote the book telling you so.

My parting thought on this subject is this: it’s over, we have moved on and it would be nice if you could just accept that, but since you won’t, you might want to consider moving in the near future to a place that is more accepting of your ‘right’ way of life. I’ll continue moving in the ‘right’ direction for myself which ‘right’ now is a lot more optimistic than it has been for a very long time.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Commissioners Blaine Young, Billy Shreve, David Gray, C. Paul Smith and Kirby Delauter will voice – and then implement – their visions and work together. Even though I disagreed with the last board on many items, I thought they were at least liked-minded and could have, at the very least, worked together while being respectful to citizens, other elected officials and staff, but I was wrong. They weren’t even respectful to each other. I hope this new board doesn’t treat those of opposing views the same way the past board did.

I realize this new 2010 Board of County Commissioners has five individual visions that will often not walk lock-step on many details. No matter how the outgoing board makes claims of transparency, I think this new board will show what is really transparent rather than just constantly claiming transparency.

I’m personally done with the finger wagging, blame throwing, condescending scoldings, arrogant talk and behavior, and the anything but transparent manner that left office yesterday.

Spending three and a half years curbing a growth that wasn’t happening is not what I want from this new board.

Cutting pennies from a budget that was inflated by thousands first is not what I want from this new board.

Wasting time, energy and taxpayers dollars by going over the ‘same ole, same ole,’ is not what I want from this new board.

What I do want is productive, forward moving commissioners who get to the core of each problem and allow productive, cost-saving solutions to take precedent over personal agendas.

Commissioners Shreve, Smith, Gray, Young and Delauter, you have my support but now you have to earn my trust, not in you personally, but in your ability to govern our county. I voted for most of you because I believe you will take us in the right direction so – LET THE GOVERNING BEGIN.

There will be more items I’m sure, but to start I hope you listen when others are speaking, and I equally hope you curtail endless, redundant babble no matter the topic or side they are presenting.Stop waste of all kinds.

Congratulations to all and carry on.

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In closing I’m going to be self indulgent and shamelessly promote two of my favorite things, family and small business:

There are two days left in this campaign to give Christmas to those less fortunate. Shout out to all the political talking heads that it’s time to put your money where your mouth is normally, Open your wallet and give! If you don’t know the history here’s your sign, read and then give:

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